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On numerous occasions girls told
police officers, social workers and care staff in children’s homes how
they were raped or seriously sexually abused – but no charges were
brought against the gang.

Three of the girls who gave evidence
at the trial were reported missing from residential care on 254
occasions.

One went missing 126 times in 15 months. Sentencing the gang
at the Old Bailey yesterday, Judge Rook told them: ‘The offences
involved the exploitation and abuse of young, highly vulnerable girls in
the Oxford area over a long period of time.

Mohammed Karrar (left), 38, was given life with a minimum of 20 years for the 'dreadful offences' he committed against the girls. His brother Bassam Karrar (right), 34, was also handed a life sentence with a minimum of 15 years

Kamar Jamil (left), 27, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 12 years while Assad Hussain (right) , 32, was sentenced to seven years in prison

Zeeshan Ahmed, 28, was jailed for seven years for two counts of sexual activity with a child

‘On occasions, the depravity was
extreme. You targeted the young girls because they were vulnerable,
underage and out of control.

'You subjected them to repeated abuse. This
was a pattern that repeated itself over and over again.’

The judge said the sick crimes had had
a devastating effect on the girls’ parents who ‘were made to feel
powerless when their child became entangled in true evil’.

He added: ‘Each of these young girls
have shown enormous courage in coming to the Old Bailey to give
evidence, knowing they would be accused of lying, knowing they would
have to relive their ordeals, knowing they had not been believed in the
past.

‘It is to be hoped that their courage
has not only exposed your activity but will send a message to and act
as a deterrent to others who are tempted to act in this way.

‘It is hoped that lessons will be learnt and the authorities now don’t hesitate to take action.’

The gang – five of Pakistani origin
and two of Eritrean heritage – were last month found guilty of a string
of offences, including 23 rapes, 15 conspiracy to rape charges, nine
charges of arranging child prostitution, five of internal trafficking
for sexual exploitation and four of sexual activity with a child.

Life sentences were handed to Akhtar
Dogar, 32, and his brother Anjum, 31, who were both jailed for a minimum
of 17 years, Mohammed Karrar, 38, who will serve a minimum of 20 years,
his brother Bassam, 33, jailed for a minimum of 15 years and Kamar
Jamil, 27, jailed for a minimum of 12 years. Assad Hussain, 32, and
Zeeshan Ahmed, 27, were jailed for seven years.

Judge Rook singled out Mohammed Karrar for the ‘dreadful offences’ he committed against the girls.

Abuse was carried out at the Nanford Guest House in Oxford. Pictured is a room at the guest house

CHIEF PROSECUTOR THANKS THE VICTIMS FOR GIVING EVIDENCE

The Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Thames and Chiltern today described the abuse as 'appalling'.

Following
the sentencing Baljit Ubhey said he would like to thank the victims for
'having the courage to support the prosecution and give evidence in
this case'.

He said: 'Their
bravery has ensured that seven sexual predators, who sought
opportunities to target and sexually abuse and exploit vulnerable young
girls, have been brought to justice.

'The victims in this case were targeted because of their vulnerability and then cynically exploited.

'They
were given drink and drugs, they were shown attention to make them feel
special, all of which was insincere and designed solely to make them
feel indebted to their abusers.

'They were then coerced into sexual acts by emotional pressure, intimidation, threats and violence.

'As a result, these girls were left in absolutely no position to give true and free consent to those sexual acts.

'This
is an important point for other victims out there who may think that
they won't be believed because they too seemingly "agreed" to sexual
activity.

He said Karrar, who refused to appear
in court to be sentenced, treated one victim as his ‘commodity’ and
forced another to carry out ‘depraved sexual acts’.

He befriended one
girl at the age of 11, before repeatedly raping her and selling her on
to men from around the country for £600 a time.

At the age of 12 he physically branded her and forced her to have an illegal backroom abortion when she became pregnant by him.

The teenage victim, who is now 19, was
still so frightened of her attacker that she initially refused to give
evidence for fear he would hurt her again.

The parents of one of their
victims said the men took their daughter away from them and they ‘will
never get those lost years back’.

In a statement they said: ‘This has been a long and harrowing trial for our family to bear.

‘We were a happy family, living in a
good area.

'We never imagined this could be possible and we want to make
other parents and carers aware that this type of crime can happen
anywhere.

‘These men deliberately targeted and
groomed our daughter regardless of our family background.’

Last night
NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said there was ‘a systematic failure
to stop the gang earlier and protect the girls who raised the alarm on
several occasions’.

‘Whilst we recognise the authorities
in Oxford did eventually take effective and coordinated action, this
took far too long,’ he added.

‘The trial revealed staff knew one of the
girls was being sexually groomed yet no immediate action was taken.’

'Lessons need to be learnt and quickly': Campaigners ask if enough was done to protect victims of Oxford paedophile ring

Campaigners have raised questions over why more was not done when some professionals seemed to be aware of wrongdoing (file picture)

Lessons must be learned from the case of a gang of men who exploited vulnerable girls, grooming, raping, and trafficking them, campaigners said.

The case has raised questions over why more was not done when some professionals seemed to be aware of wrongdoing.

NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said today's sentences sent a strong message to grooming gangs, but would bring little relief to victims who may have suffered irrevocable damage.

'For them the story doesn't end here and they will need years of support to rebuild their lives,' he said.

'Whilst we recognise the authorities in Oxford did eventually take effective and coordinated action, this took far too long.

'There was a systematic failure to stop the gang earlier and protect the girls who raised the alarm on several occasions.

'The trial revealed that staff knew one of the girls was being sexually groomed yet no immediate action was taken.

'We need a fundamental shift in how the system treats vulnerable young people with all carers acting as good parents would when children are at risk.'

He said the positive development was that professionals are now treating the girls as victims rather than 'delinquent children' meaning more cases were being picked up and those needing help were getting the right protection.

'We must build on the lessons learned here and make sure we now see the promised changes in culture from the police and the criminal justice system in which children coming forward to allege sexual abuse are treated seriously,' he added.

Javed Khan, of independent charity Victim Support, said the control exerted by the men amounted to 'modern-day slavery'.

'These were men who sought to deprive their victims of a voice and of their basic human rights.

'The control they exerted only intensified the vulnerability of their victims and must surely be described as modern-day slavery.'

He said the charity would continue to
help the women as they tried to rebuild their lives, and added: 'With
serious cases of trafficking and grooming now exposed in Oxford, Telford
and Rochdale, we must ask searching questions about the scale of the
problem and what can be done both nationally and locally to ensure that
vulnerable young people are protected from sexual slavery.

The seven members of the paedophile ring were jailed for at least 95 years at the Old Bailey (pictured) today

'Recent announcements made by Ministry of Justice, the Crown Prosecution Service and College of Policing to improve how cases of sex abuse are investigated and prosecuted are absolutely welcomed, but as this case has shown agencies at all levels must work differently to reduce victimisation. Victim Support stands ready to play its full part in making this happen.'

Barnardo's director of children's services Sam Monaghan said questions needed to be asked if enough was being done to support the victims of sexual exploitation.

'What we have heard at the Old Bailey is chilling. The torment the child victims suffered will be a life sentence for them.

'When
sexually exploited children are so desperate to escape their ordeal
that they consider committing suicide and are threatened with barbaric
reprisals, we need to ask whether enough is being done to support them.

'The trial revealed that staff knew one of the girls was being sexually groomed yet no immediate action was taken.We need a fundamental shift in how the
system treats vulnerable young people with all carers acting as good
parents would when children are at risk'

- NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless

'These men were able to abuse children for eight years. That can't be allowed to happen again. A fundamental shift in the collective mindset is needed at every level of the justice system.

'This is a stark reminder that everyone who deals with vulnerable children must be trained to spot the signs of abuse and sexual exploitation to remember that in every case they are children.'

Andy Dipper, from Oxford Community Against Trafficking (Oxcat) said they would be applying pressure to ensure changes in the justice and care systems.

'Lessons need to be learnt and quickly. We want to make sure other victims understand we will listen, and we will believe them.'

He said: 'We have heard the recommendations from our senior politicians and now we must see action. There simply isn't time to waste.

'Victims are being stigmatised and discouraged from reporting their horrific abuse because of a system which is ponderous, accusatory and further traumatises them.

'The community, police and social services need to provide a safe haven for anyone - young or old, male or female - who is a victim of this horrendous crime.

'Be in no doubt, Oxcat will be applying constant pressure to see changes in our justice system and care services. Don't forget this happened in Oxford, in our neighbourhood.'

Oxfordshire County Council said a serious case review carried out by the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board started in May and will be published in full, but has not yet been completed.

A statement from the county council said: 'The council hopes these sentences send out a strong message that child sexual exploitation will not be tolerated in Oxfordshire.

'We would like to praise the courage of the victims for giving evidence in court that has led to these sentences, and we are sorry we did not stop it sooner.

'We have learned a great deal about how to prevent and disrupt child sexual exploitation, and are working closely with other agencies to root it out in Oxfordshire.

'Along with Thames Valley Police, we encourage anybody in Oxfordshire who may have been the victim of this kind of abuse - or knows someone who has - to talk to our specialist team in confidence.'